If it’s true that the early bird gets the worm, then Adrian Ramos hit the jackpot.
Ramos was first in line at the Lawton Public School Foundation’s annual fundraiser breakfast at Golden Corral on Friday. You get to be first in line when you arrive at 5:10 a.m. for an event that starts at 6 a.m. Ramos said he wanted to beat the crowds and get to school for a day of professional development training.
Ramos, who joined Lawton Public Schools in 2019, said this is his fifth year to attend the breakfast, but the first time he has been at the head of the line.
“Last year I was 25th in line, so lessons learned from last year,” he joked as he waited for the event to start.
Ramos, who is an assistant principal at Central Middle School this year, explained why he thinks it’s important to support the Lawton Public School Foundation.
“I appreciate what they do for the schools and the funds they provide for teachers,” he said. “What better way to support them and get a meal out of it.”
Ramos knows firsthand how grants can help classroom teachers. He was the recipient of a grant when he was a teacher at Eisenhower High School a few years ago. As a language arts teacher, he received a grant for technology equipment to help with translations.
“You could speak, and it would translate,” he said of the program which could translate eight different languages.
“Grants fund many different ways to help teachers,” he said, citing work done on the Farm-to-Table program at MacArthur Middle School recently. “It’s great to see the program rebuilt from some of the funds.”
Edmund Lo, a job coach with the LPS Transition Program, missed being first in line by 20 minutes; he arrived at Golden Corral about 5:30 a.m.
“I’m usually picking up kids about now,” he said at 6 a.m. as he stood in line. Lo said he is in charge of the Transition transportation program and starts his day picking students up at MacArthur High School.
He said he has attended the breakfast a few times, but missed last year because he was working. Because Friday was a professional development day for LPS, he had time to stop for breakfast. He was waiting for his wife, his daughter and her family to join him.
“I like getting to see so many people involved with LPS and getting to help,” he said of the student workers. He also appreciates the work of the Lawton Public School Foundation.
“They support all of LPS,” Lo said. “They do so many wonderful things for LPS, I want to do my part. They pay it forward and I pay it back.”
Funds raised from the breakfast will go toward teacher grants, which will be awarded in November, according to Lawton Public School Foundation Executive Director Lisa Carson. Last year, 109 grants totaling $130,000 were awarded to teachers. Carson said about $34,000 was raised at the breakfast.